TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS 312 fleet maintenance program

OBJECTIVE: To develop a family of proximity switches that opens or closes an electrical circuit when a target comes within a specified distance of the switch for use on numerous types of equipment including elevators, hatches, and doors on various classes of Navy ships. Increased service life, reliability, and durability along with reduced required maintenance of these switches will greatly reduce costs.

DESCRIPTION: All classes of Navy ships include various traveling equipment such as weapons elevators, aircraft elevators, hangar bay door systems, crane systems and deck edge doors. Until recently these systems used mechanical limit switches to detect when the device reached intermediate or end-of-travel positions. More recently non-contact proximity switches have been used to replace the high-maintenance and costly mechanical limit switches. Thousands of proximity switches operate and are required aboard various ships of virtually all ship classes.

Both mechanical limit switches and the proximity switches now in use are unsupported and obsolete. New technologies are needed with greater reliability and durability for the maritime environment.

Many of these switches are located in elevator trunks, catwalks and in high overhead locations which makes replacing and maintaining them very difficult, hazardous and time consuming. Most will be installed in above deck locations which makes EMI susceptibility qualification in accordance with MIL-STD-461 a critical requirement. The switches are required to maintain a consistent actuation curve for a temperature range of -20 to +70 degrees Celsius, a relative humidity range of 0-100 percent and in the presence of rain accumulation of up to four inches per hour. A newly designed military qualified proximity switch is required to maintain current ship systems as well as to allow for the replacement of limit switches in certain applications. These proximity switches would reduce cost of replacement parts, reduce associated man-hours and increase readiness of mission critical systems.

A wide variety of configurations and sizes would be required therefore a successful prototype will be versatile and have utility for the numerous applications and range of environmental requirements.

PHASE I: Develop a concept proposal for a low cost proximity switch which will meet the performance specifications detailed in Reference (1). Determine feasible packaging options to protect internal electronics of EMI susceptibility and outside environmental factors that will insure the proximity switch will operate as specified. Report on all findings, making recommendations as to the most promising and feasible technical approaches for further development.

PHASE II: Develop a new proximity switch which incorporates advanced technology and will change state when flagged at the specified distance. The switch should not allow sensing distance to decrease overtime. Also, should incorporate all temperature, humidity, shock, vibration, EMI and electrical tests detailed in Reference (1).

Build a prototype and Demonstrate that the prototype switch changes state when flagged at the specified distance. Time limitations may not allow actual lifecycle testing but a simulated test should be conducted to estimate the life expectancy of the proximity switches. Verify that sensing distance does not decrease over time. Also, perform all temperature, humidity, shock, vibration, EMI and electrical tests detailed in Reference (1). After the test period, the proximity switches will be disassembled and inspected for any damage or nonconformance of the performance specification.

During a Phase II option period, demonstrate operability onboard an Aircraft Carrier as a Test and Evaluation (T & E) during one 6-month deployment with multiple subject matter experts to verify readiness. Correct any shortcomings noted in Shipboard T & E.

PHASE III: Develop the capacity for full-scale manufacturing, including special tools. Develop the logistics support package including provisioning technical documentation, drawings, operating instructions, installation, training and maintenance procedures as necessary. Develop the capacity for logistic, communications, HW/SW, and training support, as well as provisioning technical documentation and operating instructions. Generate full-scale manufacturing, Fleet introduction and Fielding, and training as necessary.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: elevators, crane systems, industrial traveling equipment, conveyors, commercial ships

REFERENCES:
(1) MIL-PRF-24711B – Performance Specification, Proximity Switch, Solid State

(2) MIL-S-901D - MILITARY SPECIFICATION: SHOCK TESTS. H.I. (HIGH-IMPACT) SHIPBOARD MACHINERY, EQUIPMENT, AND SYSTEMS, REQUIREMENTS FOR (17 MAR 1989)

KEYWORDS: Enclosure, Proximity, Switch, Elevators, Cranes, Doors

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between November 10 and December 12, 2010, you may talk directly with the Topic Authors to ask technical questions about the topics. Their contact information is listed above. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting December 13, 2011, when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

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